Everything You Should Know About Windows 10 Credential Guard!

by Lalita Negi
on June 16th 2017

Microsoft has brought many attractive security features in Windows 10. Windows 10 Credential Guard is one of the most useful security feature coming in Windows 10 that is built to safeguard obtained domain credentials.

Basically, Windows 10 credential guard is a key security feature of Windows 10 that gives safety from the hackers who plan to hack the domain credentials of enterprise networks. By introducing new security features like SecureBoot and Device Guard, windows 10 has become safer than previously introduced windows OS.

Exploring The Features Of Windows 10 Credential Guard

Just like its name, the windows 10 credential guard adds protection to the credentials in and around the user domains within a network. As the previously introduced OS’s used to save user ID and Password of users in the local RAM, however, the credential guard makes a new virtual container which stores all the secrets or credentials of domain. Thus, the OS cannot get access to it directly. Here, there is no need of external virtualization. This features utilizes Hyper-V which can be configured in within the programs and also features applet at control panel.

So, earlier when hackers attacked an OS of windows, they took benefit from accessing to hash which is used for encrypting the credentials of the users as it usually gets stored within the local RAM without a certain protection. On the contrary, the credential manager stores the credentials in its virtual container; hence, when a hacker tries to compromise a system, they don’t get access to the hash. This is how, they fail in penetrating computers connected to the network.

In brief, the windows 10 credential guard feature enhances the domain credential security and also related hashes to it. Thus, it makes almost unworkable for hackers to get access to the domain secrets and easily apply them to other systems. So, it stops any chances of attack at the entrance itself. Although, it is not being claimed that credential guard cannot be broken, yet it definitely enhances the security level and hence, makes the network and the computer safer.

What Are The System Requirements For Credential Guard

If you use a budget laptop, there are some limitations to use credential guard. Moreover, the Ultrabooks which do not feature Trusted Platform Module will not be suitable for running credential guard feature whether the windows 10 Enterprise would run on it.

So, credential guard only runs on the Windows 10 enterprise edition. So, if you have Education or Pro version of Windows 10, you cannot take benefit of credential guard feature on your system.

In addition, it is mandatory that your device should support 64 bit virtualization and Secure Boot. This quality leaves all computers of 32 bit out of use for this particular feature.

So, to use it, it is not necessary to upgrade all your devices altogether. But, you should use this feature first on the computers which meet necessary requirements only after making the sub-domain and then, put rest of the computers that are incompatible into that sub-domain. When you will configure your upper domain along with the credential guard feature and also other non-suitable computers in the sub-domain, you will find good security to stop credential hacking attacks.

Knowing Credential Guard Limits

Although, for using windows 10 credential guard in enterprise edition, there are some hardware requirements, yet you should not hope that everything will be protected with this feature. Following are few limitations of this feature that you should keep in mind.

Safety of Microsoft and local accounts.

Safety of credentials handled by the third party software or solution

Safety from Key loggers.

The feature credential guard in windows 10 offers safety against malware and hacking attacks that seek the secret credential information from the system. In case, the credential data is already hacked before implementing this feature, it will certainly not stop hackers from accessing hash key over other systems connected to the similar domain.

Need help to understand windows 10 credential guard, Server Consultancy Will help you in all way email us at info@serverconsultancy.co.uk or call us.